A story of transmission...

Since the 17th century, our family has farmed in the Chêne Vert district of La Roche-de-Glun, on the prestigious Châssis plateau. At the beginning of the 20th century, Marius Rochas developed a diversified farm here, combining orchards, cereals, livestock and a few rows of vines. He vinified his own Syrah, which he sold in barrels to a bar in Valence, delivered by horse-drawn cart. In the 1940s, his son Henri continued the business.

The arrival of the first tractor, the move to the Cave Coopérative de Tain in 1960 and the handover to Michel Rochas in 1967 marked a decisive step: Michel restructured the estate around the vines and embarked on a more ambitious vision. Guided by a strong intuition of the terroir's potential, he focused on Syrah and introduced practices such as in-place grafting, which were to become the foundations of the estate.

Mickaël Rochas, Michel's son, took over the running of the estate in 2001, initiating a transition to viticulture that respects the environment. In 2011, the estate regained its independence after 50 years in a cooperative winery. The arrival of Jordan Colin, Mickaël's nephew, in 2019 marks a new stage.

The Domaine du Chêne Vert now represents 17ha of vines in AOP Crozes-Hermitage and 3ha of fruit trees.

Mickaël & Jordan
Two generations united by the same vision

Image Chêne Vert Un terroir unique en Vallée du Rhône

Mickaël embodies the Domaine du Chêne Vert's transition to a viticulture that is committed, demanding and deeply respectful of its terroir. As soon as he arrived at the Domaine, he quickly felt the need to rethink his practices. He began to think about the impact of inputs, a more respectful approach to the soil, and gradually oriented the estate towards organic farming. He also continued to expand the vineyard, adding Marsanne and Roussanne.

Jordan has been fully involved in the revival of the estate since his arrival, bringing a modern, committed vision while remaining faithful to the family heritage and the identity of the terroir. With a background in hotel management and a specialization in oenology at the Université du Vin de Suze-la-Rousse, he quickly became involved in the winemaking and commercial development of the estate.

« Working together at the estate was an obvious choice. We form a complementary duo.
After many years of evolution, we are now crafting precise, balanced wines that are faithful to our terroir, while ensuring the transmission of five generations of family know-how.»

Our philosophy

Today, we are the fifth generation to cultivate these lands, perpetuating the know-how that has been handed down to us. This family tradition is our strength. Today, we're committed to preserving this heritage, while bringing our own vision to it.

On the vine

Attached to our old vines, some planted as early as the 1940s, we work every day with respect and care. Time, observation and common sense guide our actions. Certified organic since 2021, we had already long ago banned chemical weedkillers, favored natural treatments (copper, sulfur, essential oils) and protected soil life with plant cover and green manures.

We prune gently, plough lightly and use organic soil improvers where necessary. On the oldest plots, we graft in place and recut, to preserve the genetic diversity and vitality of the vines. Finally, the grapes are harvested by hand, and sorted by plot: patient work to ensure that only the finest bunches are kept.

In the cellar

Our philosophy in the cellar is the same as in the vineyard: intervene as little as possible, and let the wine express itself freely. We favor whole bunches when conditions permit, adapt extractions according to the vintage, and strongly limit the use of sulfites.

Ageing takes place in Burgundian oak barrels lasting several years. Each cuvée is bottled when it reaches equilibrium, with no attempt to impose a particular style. No ready-made recipes: just measured choices to produce wines that are lively, deep and faithful to their terroir.